At least 573 people have died from dengue in Brazil so far this year, nearly twice the figure reported in 2012, according to official figures released Wednesday. Last year, 292 deaths were recorded and 473 in 2011, according to the health ministry.
Paraguay, north Argentina and Brazil are in dengue alert following the confirmation of over 200.000 cases of the mosquito transmitted viral disease so far this year. The situation is considered worst that in previous years because besides a deep rise in the confirmed cases, the circulation of the four sero-types (strains) of dengue (1, 2, 3 and 4) has been detected, which means the disease keeps expanding.
Paraguay health officials have detected a new strain of the tropical mosquito-transmitted disease dengue identified as serotype 4, the first case reported since last year which expands significantly the population’s exposure. Likewise the latest official report indicates 26 confirmed dengue deaths and over 13.000 infected.
The mosquito transmitted dengue disease can’t be eradicated, but only controlled at least this tropical summer admitted Paraguayan health officials after extending the national epidemics alert to the whole territory of the landlocked country.
Paraguay’s Health Ministry announced it will appeal to SMS messages as part of the awareness campaign to help prevent the mosquito transmitted dengue disease which this year has already caused 70 deaths and thousands of infections.
Dengue continues to claim lives in Latin America with over 400 deaths and nearly 161.000 infection cases according to this year’s reports from the different countries.
Brazil said it will breed huge numbers of genetically modified mosquitoes to help stop the spread of dengue fever, an illness that has already struck nearly 500,000 people this year nationwide, killing 74.
The Brazilian ‘marvellous city’ of Rio do Janeiro officially declared it is suffering an epidemics emergency of the mosquito transmitted disease of dengue, following confirmed reports of over 50.000 cases so far this year, and 500 in the last week.
Paraguay’s Vice president Federico Franco and his wife lawmaker Emilia Alfaro are in hospital in the capital Asuncion following infection symptoms of the mosquito transmitted dengue which is very common in tropical areas during the rainy season.
The Bolivian province of Santa Cruz has declared a sanitary emergency in the region following an outbreak of the mosquito transmitted dengue fever which has already caused at least six deaths, according to local officials.